Text information may be entered into an electronic device in various ways. For example, a user may hand write characters on a touch pad or touch screen of the device, make key selections at a keypad of the device, and speak characters or words into a microphone of the device. The device includes a display to provide the user with feedback regarding the received data input. Also, a recognition system of the device converts the handwritten characters, the key selections, and the spoken characters or words to a data format that is readily recognizable by other components of the device.
The recognition system may include a timeout feature when a user pauses during data entry. Such system processes the received data and removes the feedback information from the display, regardless of whether the user has actually completed data entry. If the timeout condition occurs before the user completes the data entry, which often occurs when the user ponders or hesitates, the user must explicitly delete the previous partial recognition result and enter the data again. In this manner, the recognition system processes data prematurely and requires the user to follow a multi-step correction process with a high cognitive burden, which frustrates the user. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for editing data input that minimizes the frustrations common with premature timeout features.